How to value a small business based on revenue?

Asked by: Mylene Kling  |  Last update: February 19, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (28 votes)

A less sophisticated but still popular way to determine a company's potential value quickly is to multiply the current sales or revenue of a company by a multiple "score." For example, a company with $200K in annual sales and a multiple of 5 would be worth $1 million.

How many times revenue is a business worth?

The Revenue Multiple Method

This rule attaches a value to several types of businesses based on their annual revenue or sales. The revenue multiple used often falls between 0.5 to 5 times yearly revenue depending on the industry.

How much is a business worth with $500,000 in sales?

To find the fair market value, it is then necessary to divide that figure by the capitalization rate. Therefore, the income approach would reveal the following calculations. Projected sales are $500,000, and the capitalization rate is 25%, so the fair market value is $125,000.

How much is a business worth with $300,000 in sales?

For example, a business that is doing $300,000 in profit per year sold for at 2.44X would have a sale price of $732,000 ($300,000*2.44=$732,000). This works in reverse as well — if a business sold for $732,000 at 2.44X, then ($732,000/2.44) means the profit was $300,000.

What is the formula for valuation of a small business?

Current Value = (Asset Value) / (1 – Debt Ratio)

To quickly value a business, find its total liabilities and subtract them from the total assets. This will give you an idea of its book value. This formula estimates the worth of a business by looking at its assets and subtracting any liabilities.

The Simple Way to Value a Small Business

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How much is a business worth with $1 million in profit?

A venture that earns $1 million per year in revenue, for example, could have a multiple of 2 or 3 applied to it, resulting in a $2 or $3 million valuation. Another business might earn just $500,000 per year and earn a multiple of 0.5, yielding a valuation of $250,000.

What is the rule of thumb for valuing a business?

To keep things simple, let's say a business makes $1 million a year in revenue, and the cash to the owner is about $250,000. Depending on the type of business, the seller's discretionary income is multiplied by somewhere usually between 1.25 and 2.5, so that business might sell for $312,500 to $625,000.

What is the quick calculation to value a business?

The Net Book Value (NBV) of your business is calculated by deducting the costs of your business liabilities, including debt and outstanding credit, from the total value of your tangible and intangible assets.

How much can you sell a business for based on revenue?

Most small businesses generally sell at 2-3 times their seller's discretionary earnings. According to NYU Stern, industry subsectors can have different revenue multiples. For example, the real estate development subsector has a 4.38x multiple, while real estate operations and services sell at a 1.51x revenue multiple.

How much is a typical small business worth?

Companies with under $3m in sales will typically sell for 2.5 – 3.5 X their discretionary earnings (total cash the owner could take out of the company). Smaller companies that are even more owner-reliant will even be lower than that.

How do you value a company based on revenue?

The revenue multiple is the most important factor in figuring out the value. The times-revenue is computed by dividing a company's selling price by its revenue over the previous 12 months. The outcome shows how much a buyer was willing to pay for a firm, expressed as a multiple of yearly revenue.

Is 3 million in revenue good?

While $3 million in sales is certainly impressive, it doesn't automatically translate to a specific valuation. The true worth of your business depends on a complex interplay of factors, including: Profitability: Your net profit margin (after all expenses) is a critical driver of value.

What is an example of a small business valuation?

Valuations are generally expressed as a multiple times EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization). For example, a business with EBITDA of $1 million and a multiple of 3 is valued at $3 million.

How do I know how much my business is worth?

Add up the value of everything the business owns, including all equipment and inventory. Subtract any debts or liabilities. The value of the business's balance sheet is at least a starting point for determining the business's worth. But the business is probably worth a lot more than its net assets.

What is a good EBITDA for a small business?

Generally speaking, a good EBITDA margin for manufacturing businesses falls between 5% and 10%. However, this will vary depending on the specific industry you are manufacturing your products for, and how capital-intensive your operations are.

What is the average revenue for a small business?

In general, the average revenue is around $44,000 per year for a company with a single owner/employee. Two-thirds of these small businesses make less than $25,000 per year. Most of these businesses are based out of the home.

What is a reasonable price to sell a business?

A business in California might sell 2 to 3 times the seller's discretionary earnings. The fair market value is what the business would sell for on the free market.

What is the formula for business valuation?

Current Value = (Asset Value) / (1 – Debt Ratio)

To accurately ascertain a business's value efficiently, calculate its total liabilities and subtract that figure from the sum of all assets—the resulting number is known as book value.

How to value a business based on turnover?

Sales-Based or Turnover-Based Valuation:

This valuation is done by combining your total turnover in an accounting year (choice to add last year's turnover, too). Afterwards, you have to divide the sum of total turnover by the number of weeks in a financial year.

How do you calculate the true value of a business?

Asset-Based Valuation is a method used in company valuations to determine a company's worth based on its tangible assets. This approach calculates the company's value by summing up the value of its assets and subtracting its liabilities. Tangible assets may include property, equipment, inventory, and investments.

Is a business worth 3 times profit?

The multiple used might be higher if the company or industry is poised for growth and expansion. Since these companies are expected to have a high growth phase with a high percentage of recurring revenue and good margins, they would be valued in the three- to four-times-revenue range.

What is the formula for fair value of a business?

It is calculated by subtracting depreciation from the cost of the asset. Fair value represents the current market price that both buyer and seller agree upon. Carrying value reflects the firm's equity. This transaction benefits both parties.

How much is a business worth with $200K sales?

A less sophisticated but still popular way to determine a company's potential value quickly is to multiply the current sales or revenue of a company by a multiple "score." For example, a company with $200K in annual sales and a multiple of 5 would be worth $1 million.

How much can I sell my small business for?

A business will likely sell for two to four times seller's discretionary earnings (SDE)range –the majority selling within the 2 to 3 range. In essence, if the annual cash flow is $200,000, the selling price will likely be between $400,000 and $600,000.

What is the 1% rule in business?

The 1% Rule is simply this - focus on growing your business by 1% every day, and compounded, means your business gets 3,800% better each year. Sir Dave Brailsford, former performance director of British Cycling, revolutionized cycling using this theory.